The Temple. Ominous in its religious standing architecture on the outside, but alive and bumping on the inside. Speaking of bumping, Yi gets shoved off to one side as she enters in the front doors, her ears immediately assaulted with loud rave music. She squints her eyes at the multiple lights. It's been awhile since she's been to any form of nightclub. But it seems she hasn't forgotten how to dress to hide. A black jacket covers her shoulders, reaching down to fall over to about midthigh. Her inner shirt is a darkish blue though it appears black anyway. And going down are some black pants, form-fitting but comfortable and loose in the right spots. Topping it are her usual boots. Not like anyone really cares down there unless they have a foot fetish.
John is sitting by the main bar, and unsuprisingly, isn't being crushed in the press of bodies there. The Walker plainly doesn't fit in, here, being neither loose and carefree, or scruffy or be-leathered enough. His black clothing is straight-edged and clean, as is his general apperance, apart from the scars. No. Definitely to clean, and too... 'straight' for this place. Whereas he's not watching for her, Yi can see him quite plainly if she looked. The Walker's attention is on the DJ playing above the dance floor. A tattered plastic banner declares him 'Tonie D. Underground'. John takes another sip from a glass of whiskey, and watches, quietly.
Yi returns the look the bouncer gives her, though he towers over her with little difficulty. Her dark eyes return his gaze cooly though, before she moves on into the club with no troubles. Her form pauses at the top of the stairs which descend down to the dancepit to take everything in. And as if the world slowed down, she zeroes in on John and moves through the maze of bouncing bodies in a winding path, a drunken arrow.
From afar, John bows, and tips his hat. Good evening, ma'am, I'll be your GM for this evening. I'll give you the free OOC advice that the DJ probably shouldn't be messed with in the middle of his performance, and that the bouncers /are/ armed. ;) Enjoy your session.
Long distance to John: Yi laughs. Yeah right like I'll stop the music. Subtlety is a key to survival of any ragabash.
Long distance to John: Yi notes that Yi is packin' as well. An auto from previous encounters of the druggie deal kind. Loaded, no serial number, your typical illegal gun and perfect for an upclose assassination.
John pages: What's she like with a gun? Good at hitting a moving target at medium-long range?
You paged John with 'I'd give her a ... 2 at best. She's not big with guns, but I'm sure Nevada and her have gone practicing. Able to hit general bodies that move around.. oh.. 20 feet. Not very precise though, unless she's up close.'.
The bouncer snorts, with an amused look. The number of posers who walk through these doors... The crowd is pumping, tonight, getting well into the swing of things. The DJ's actually pretty good, and four unkempt-looking youths in leather push the ever-surging mass of bodies off the podium before any can clamber their way closer to their God for these few hours. Drugs are in evidence in quite a few places - and in the shadows of the pillars that surround the dance floor, couples of varying shape, size and sex enjoy themselves without shame. The music does well to drown out the cry of humanity revelling in wanton abandonment. And John continues to sit, heedless, drinking at the bar. His eyes register Yi approaching, but he doesn't make an issue of it. A brief nod, then looking back to the DJ.
Coming up to Walker's table, Yi hovers around first, checking out the area again. Her eyes even stray upwards towards the rafters of the church nightclub, watching the dancing lights and shadows for a short time before returning to John. She takes a seat where she can see the people coming in through the doorway, and with a slight turn of her head she watches the DJ as well. "{That's him?}" comes her query. No sense in English. Really.
John turns to give her another nod, and look the girl up and down. "{Nice clothes. Dressed for killing, tonight?}" His unfamiliarity with the language highlights the intent of his words, ruining the cliche. He seems either unaware of the fact, or just doesn't care, as he looks back to the DJ and nods. "{He's finished in ten minutes. They'll keep him here a little longer. Have a drink. I'll buy.}" The Walker gestures to the apparently busy barman, drawing him over. A tall, skinny guy, who looks vaguely nervous about being summoned, but who waits expectantly, anyway.
Yi glances at the barman coming over, then looks back towards the DJ. The newmoon's slowly adjusting to the pounding bass reverberating in her head. Once the barman comes over, she gives him a further appraising look from the side of her eye. "Whatever he's having," she gestures to the table and the glasses upon it.
The barman sends an uncertain look to John, who shakes his head and mutters, "Be a good boy Timmy, and make it a double." The Walker slips the tall man a twenty, who then fetches the drink - grumbling something about 'Timmy', 'respect' and 'getting Angel over his ass'. Which John pointedly ignores, even after the whisky comes sliding over to Yi, and Tim hurries about looking after the impatient patrons at the other end of the bar. Without giving any change. John's eyes flick over to Yi, and he waits for her to start drinking.
Yi looks down at the short glass. "{You trust him?}" comes her question, as she looks up at John for his answer, then her eyes unfocusing off the Walker's face to eye the bartender attending to patrons.
John hitches a shoulder. "{Why shouldn't I?}" he asks, with a raised eyebrow. His expression does soften, though. "{It's okay. He's a friend of Rina's.}"
"{Rina.}" Yi echoes, though her word is lost in a boom of the bass. Just her lips moving to actually show she said something. Then, she eyes the glass again before tilting it back and into her throat. Her eyes close with the burning sensation, and the newmoon coughs heavily. "Ugh...{What the hell was that? Like drinking fire.}" She glances at the tiny glass.
John's face actually appears to twist with something resembling a genuine smile. "Whiskey. A double." he says, with good humour in his voice. He sips carefully at his own, eyes on Yi, emphasizing the care he's taking. "It's not coke." he murmurs, amused.
Yi squints and blinks a couple of times with a shake of her head. She gives John a short wry smirk. "{Could've told me,}" she pokes before turning back to the DJ at the tables and the dancepit. "{There's always this many people?}" She indicates 'people' with a tilt of her head towards the pit. Masses of bodies. Then her eyes roam around at the various side booths.
John wrinkles his nose - a facial shrug. "{He's a popular DJ... but not that popular. Often more people.}" Eyeing Yi, he adds, "{Should be careful about him. People will miss him if he disappears. Questions will be asked.}" Looking back to the DJ with a faintly annoyed look, he adds, "{And I'm hardly inconspicuous.}"
Dark eyes meander through the various sights, before settling on the DJ again. "{So... go dance then. No one cares when you dance.}" She glances up to John, the hints of a smile on her weirdly lighted face. "{I've no plans to make him disappear. Just some magic tricks.}" At the sentence, the faint glitter and *shikshikshink* of a butterfly knife getting slipped out and slipped back sounds from around the newmoon's direction.
John snorts faintly. "{I don't dance. Not /that/ sort of dance, anyway.}" he mutters, waving a hand at the throbbing, pulsing crowd. He frowns slightly. "{Not on my own, anyway.}" he adds, with a scowl for the mass of bodies. He tips back a mouthful of his drink, letting it slide down his throat without spending much time in his mouth, then pulls back his sleeve a little to look at his watch. "Hmmm. Soonish."
Yi smirks for real now, and gives the rest of her visual attention to the DJ and the cage around him. "{What path does he take, when he gets off the stand?}" Her eyes wander again, upwards this time. "{Nice decor.}"
John shrugs a little. "{Van outside for his gear. The youngsters on the stage are his crew. Don't know much else. He'll have a few drinks, on the house, when he's finished.}" The Walker tips back, and finishes off, the rest of his drink with a small wince. Strong. He looks Yi up and down again, critically. "{His tastes are usually a little more refined, but you'll get his attention, I think. Especially if he recognizes you.}"
"{Refined? In a place like this...}" Yi snorts. "{Perhaps I should wait outside for him.}" She glances at John. He seems to know more than she does, so. Then some thought occurs to her, and she starts scanning the place carefully. "{Has there been anyone giving you looks?}" Her eyes roam, searching out asian faces amongst the people. Darkened corners, open air... just people who look in her general direction.
John's mouth twists wryly, and he tilts his head. "{Do I look like I belong here?}" he mutters. "{People always give me looks. Less often, these days, though. I haven't done anything interesting enough, yet.}" he adds, ruefully. There's a subtle change in the music. It's winding down - or rather... building up, but with layers dropping out, everywhere. A big finish is overlaid by the gradual entrance of the recorded music. The crowd never stops pumping, though the animal cheering for the DJ is louder than the usual cries from the press of bodies. The four lads start moving, and more heavy-set men find their way up to begin deconstructing the equipment set up. The DJ makes his way through the seething mass, receiving various signs of affection from individuals nearby, on his way to the bar. John looks to Yi, expectantly. "{Your show. How much of a fuss do you feel like making?}" he sounds uninterested in the answer, or the situation. Just passing time.
Yi chews on her tongue idly, watching as the DJ makes his way closer. "{No fuss, no mess. If only, I just want information.}" She stands up slowly, watching the heavy-set men warily before starting to move towards the DJ at the bar. She takes her time though, letting him get ample time for a drink or two. Her hands remain out, just on the edge of her jacket pockets.
John notes, before she gets up, "{I'll watch your back.}" and sits quietly, examining his now-empty glass for a moment, then looking back to the men moving the equipment off the stage, and out one of the vestry doors. Tonie D. Underground currently enjoys the company of three exotic-looking women, who fawn over him shamelessly as he starts to work on a margarita. He appears to 'choose' one of the women, after a particularly lengthy kiss, and motions for Tim to serve her a drink, too.
Yi watches from afar, though her steps take her around a table with some crack snorters and beside a couple high on E. She doesn't butt in, yet. Only the bartender might notice she's standing quietly off to the side, watching Tonie with the avid interest of a hawk and its unwary prey...waiting for the chance to swoop in. Her eyes dart momentarily to the locations of guards and heavies. Patience...
DJ Underground clearly doesn't expect any trouble, and neither do the youths who were protecting him on stage. They're all helping the heavier men with the equipment, forming a sort of chain taking the gear out to the van. The slick-haired DJ wears sunglasses - even here, obscuring the scene for him - and continues to enjoy the company of the particularly fine-looking brunette. The other hangers-on eventually drift away, to find other targets with more money than them, or just otherwise inclined to buy a girl a drink. As Yi investigates the DJ, she'll notice that he's apparently a little high - whether that's from drugs or working the crowd is uncertain, but he's not exactly on balance when he finishes his margarita and orders another. John sits patiently, watching the men at the podium, now, and apparently relaxing in his chair.
Narrowing her gaze down to a focused edge, Yi waits while the other two girls drift away. And then she approaches, slowly but surely. In her mind, she wracks her brain on strategy. Then, she comes up alongside the DJ and his girl. At first she gives the woman a glance, appraising her with little interest. She looks to the DJ. "You're wanted out back," she tells him with a vague gesture. No, she doesn't know the location of the van. But her voice is steady enough.. maybe she's a new hand hired to the crew? Who knows. She's careful, keeping much of her body away from any hands and allowing her face to be partially hidden by shadows and hair.
Long distance to John: Yi figures it doesn't help that Yi sounds british. Though if she were shouting it out, maybe it could sound normal American. :}
You paged John with 'And she's gotten.. what... 7 months almost of speaking American english. XD'.
Tonie looks at Yi distractedly, with a grin showing several gold teeth, and benevolent attitude towards the world in general tonight. "Hey?" he asks, laughingly. "Tell the guys they can handle any shit however they feel they...." he trails off for a moment, as a thought penetrates the alcohol and drug-riddled mind. "Hey." he peers at her distinctively Asian features. "You..." he slurs, curiously. "You one of Lai's people?" He squints, and grins. "Look familiar." Suspicion takes over quickly, though, and he looks about. "But.. but... /you/ people usually have muscle..." he adds, saying each word with drunken care. John picks that moment to look to Yi and Tonie, to see how her approach is going.
Yi shrugs off the suspicion. "Yes. Lai sent me. Please," she gestures vaguely again, blowing off the DJ's suspicions. There's no hints about muscle, but that is quietly taken into note. She gives the girl a sort of 'go away' look, then turns back to Tonie. "He wishes to speak with you. On business." Hint, hint. Is that a firmly 'henchman' like tone there?
Long distance to John: Yi turns up them Persuasion things.
Tonie's face falls, and he looks grey for a few moments. "Ohhh /shit/." he mumbles, then gives Yi a pleading look. "Hey, look..." he slurs, "Look, I got Stevie to deal with the photos and shit, that ain't my style - I just ain't heard from him, y'know? S'like... she killed him or summink, y'know? He dun't need to see me so quick, y'know, I'll just get someone else to do it, y'know? Just get him to wait? Please?" He speaks quickly, the words falling out in a rush to be said. The drunken slur starting to fade out of his voice - panic bringing something like sobriety. John watches, interestedly, and gets a thoughtful look. Pondering coming over to investigate, and continually looking over at the fast-working men. The heavier men disappear with the last of the equipment, leaving the four leather-clad youths to mess with the crowd - though an older-looking one starts to make his way through the press of humanity towards the bar. Looking for Tonie. All the youths, and Tonie, appear to have the look of Mexicans about them.
Yi hides the shortly amused feeling that is brewing inside her. So much fear in him, she could taste it. "Mr. Lai would be disappointed," she quips. "Then should I tell him you will not meet him outside?" Her eye breaks off its steady gaze to flicker at one of the older youths. Crap. "He is willing to renegotiate the contract," she says plainly. Maybe that'll ease some of the fear off.
The DJ looks confused for a moment. "Eh? Contract? Issa... hang on..." he turns his head to the girl beside him, and whispers something into her ear, then slips her a fifty dollar note. They kiss, and she slinks off, virtually purring, to exit via the front doors. Tonie frowns, and peers at Yi again. "So. Hee's willing to re-negotiate? I might see him, yeah." Suddenly the tough-talker. Though the hint of drunkenness still pulls at his speech. The youth glides up to his boss, easily, and gives Yi a suspicious look. "She bothering you, Tonie?" he asks, with a suspicious look. Reaching into his jacket, slowly and meaningfully. More a threat than actually intending to pull a weapon. John slowly rises, and tosses his glass to Tim as he passes by, who fumblingly catches it and scowls at him. The Walker slowly starts to make his way over to Yi and the other two - with little effort. People get out of the way as he gracefully stalks over to them.
Yi holds up a hand, turning towards the guard. "Hey. I'm just here to deliver the message. Lai is outside waiting. If you won't go out, he'll come in." From her turned point, her periphery catches a partial view of John. Hm. Dang stubbornness.
John comes to stand behind Yi, and merely looms, impassively. From the neutral expression on his face, he might as well be Asian. He looks down to Yi, as if expecting orders, then back to the two men. The 'bodyguard' looks hostile, immediately, then attempts to go for a similar impassive pose, behind Tonie, with a more threatening edge, the way he folds his arms. Both Tonie and his friend are shorter than the Walker, and the leather-clad youth appear to be trying to make up for the height with fierce looks. Tonie makes a drunken attempt at a serious, business-like manner, and nods meaningfully at the barman before standing and motioning for Yi to lead the way. Tim merely stares blankly at Tonie's nod, and continues serving drinks, with a slightly puzzled expression. "What the fuck?" he mutters to himself.
Yi dips her head in acknowledgement to the motion and moves towards the exit. To her credit, she doesn't look back at the guys following though in all respects she's waiting for a gun to be cocked. "{Is there a side exit to this place?}" She queries John as they move through a throng of people that seem to part like the seas.
John, standing at Yi's shoulder, like a frightening guard dog, merely nods. If Yi's going to get a bullet in the back, she'll probably get warning via him, first. Hell. He's so scary, he'll probably be the first one shot. But you couldn't look more disinterested in the idea than he does. Quite simply, he really does not look as if he'd care even if the Temple started to cave in and trap them all in a massive stone tomb. "{There's a few. The parking lot leads to an alley. If you feel like working that way.}" The DJ and his guard trail behind, slightly nervously, despite the bravado. You don't bring along someone like John unless you're trying to say something without saying anything. And the horribly scarred man's appearance says quite a lot, not to mention the fact that Yi is merely a girl, and yet so self-assured. Their imaginations continue to work away for them, as they follow.
"{Good enough. Parking lot to alley. Is it a blind one?}" Yi moves that way, this time ignoring the bouncers as she exeunts the club out into the night air and into the parking lot. She walks purposefully though her eyes are scanning around the cars, around the corners, all on their way towards a particular car she seems to have chosen to head towards near the alley entrance.
John nods, quietly. "{How do you want to handle this?}" he murmurs, as they head towards the alley. The youth in front of Tonie whispers something to him as they walk, and the two continue to look generally nervous at the speech they can't understand. Scowling, the youth mutters something about 'chinks' under his breath, and John looks over his shoulder to give him a thoroughly disapproving look for a second. "{What did you tell them? Why are they following us?}"
"{I told them we were going to meet Lai.}" Yi turns and stops. "{I'd appreciate it if you could hold the bodyguard while I question him,}" she remarks offhandedly to John once they're pretty out of sight to anyone not actively looking in. She eyes cast about for a side door. Maybe there's some abandoned room she could use. In the meantime, let Tonie sit and stew in his fear.
John nods, and stops by the alley entrance, as if on guard. When the other two stop, and look at him, he motions for them to enter, using his head, and grunting, "{Get in, you miserable shits.}" The alley does have a side door, with a heavy-looking lock. It's part of a small pawn shop. The two appear to get John's message, and walk further into the alley - the youth gives John a suspicious look, briefly, but when he turns back to let Tonie go in front of him, John whips him about and slams the boy into the wall - it's only a fraction of a second and there's a knife pressed against his throat - pinning him to the wall. Another second for Tonie to register the indignant squark his bodyguard makes, and then he's looking down the barrel of John's gun. "If this were Hong Kong... You'd already be dead." he growls, then looks to Yi. Your show, babe.
Yi smacks her lips fleetingly. "{You're such a show off,}" Yi remarks to John before letting the butterfly knife reappear mysteriously into her hand. *shikshiksnick* The two ends of the handle twirl with the blade. "You're Tonie D. Underground, yes?" she starts off, wasting little time. "I want to know what is Lai's first name." She tilts her head at the DJ, gazing at him evenly. There's no where to run, nowhere to hide, and no chance to dodge John's gun that's for sure.
Tonie's eyes widen at the gun and the knife, and he looks to the pinned bodyguard, desperately. John does, too - a warning look, with his eyes narrowing. "
Yi flicks the butterfly knife back to its concealed form. "Your friend, I warned before not to tail me again. He got what was coming to him." She looks over to John. "{Andy Lai. He's small in Hong Kong. But apparently, he's big here.}" She takes in a deep breath, lightly regretting that since the alley stinks. "Where is Andy meeting you next?" she queries the blubbering DJ. Her eyes flick towards the bodyguard. "{Now now John, don't slit his throat yet. By the winds, you kill everyone you squeeze?}"
John growls lowly, "Killing people I interrogate keeps them from tailing me, or telling friends. You'd think I was doing them a favour by not having to kill their friends, too, wouldn't you?" The punk under the blade whimpers a little, and John peers at him. "Oh. I'm sorry. Forgot myself for a moment." he snaps, acidly. Back to Yi, he adds, "{Getting pictures? Find out why they were getting pictures. If there was anything bigger. And what else they do for him. /Then/ you can try tracking him down. Background first.}" There's something of the school-teacher to his tone, though the two hapless captives probably don't recognize it. Tonie looks over at John, pale, then back to Yi. Not quite sure who's in charge. "I.. I.. I don't meet him, usually. Only for... deals. Or... special jobs. Please... you gotta believe me!" he whimpers. The fear has brought him joltingly sober, and there's sweat on his forehead from the sudden mind-clearing burst of adrenaline.
Yi shrugs at the Walker's bodycount theory. "{You said yourself killing them would bring suspicion. The ant left to live will return to the nest.}" She crosses her arms over her front, though the knife still remains around. "Why did Lai want pictures of me and my activities? What deals, and what special jobs? Talk fast, and clear Mr. Underground, or you will end up under ground about 6 feet down."
John barely contains a smile. "{Putting the fear of death in them. I would still prefer if you didn't kill Underground. However. If you do... having people suspect Lai cannot hurt. I'll have to go into hiding, though, and you'll have to leave for home, fast. So, again. I'd prefer if you didn't. Try not to leave any visible, lasting scars, too.}" Tonie gibbers uselessly, in genuine fear for his life. "Oh God, please don't kill me..." he begins, by way of introduction. The gun barrel occupies a fair bit of his attention, though mostly Yi, now. The apparent boss. "He's just a guy. People smuggling. We got dock space, see. That's all. Sometimes drugs. He's never asked us to do anything like this before! We're not spies..."
Yi waves off John's gun. Poor sap. "People smuggling. Drugs. Which docks? I want numbers. And you haven't answered my first question... why does Lai want information on me?" *shwicksnick* The blade of the butterfly knife comes out.
John lowers his weapon, and keeps most of his attention on the bodyguard who is watching him /very/ carefully, but still limp against the wall. Tonie, at the sight of the knife, starts back, and instinctively looks to the alley opening. No help. The one or two people who do pass by either pointedly ignore the alley, or just peek, and hurry past. No help at all. Not in this neighbourhood. Looking back to Yi, he mumbles, "It's... it's a warehouse on the docks. Pier three. Only open one, though it's kinda condemned. We got permission to hold raves there. And we... do that sorta stuff. When it's not being used. No-one checks... and.. and I don't know why he wants information. He just wants to see your face. Can't spend long here. Needs to know if you're /his/ Yi. That's all, I swear! Please, God, don't hurt me..." His eyes never leave the knife.
There's something. -His- Yi. What's that supposed to mean? Yi doubts she'll get it from Tonie though. She glances back at John, looking past him momentarily to watch the bodyguard before turning back to the DJ. "{Anything you want to tell him? I'm not going to take his life if it isn't necessary. But letting him and his bodyguard go without a warning is... unsafe.}" She flicks the butterfly knife around, musingly. "{His Yi...}" she murmurs to herself.
John grunts, and puts his gun away, then spins the bodyguard around - pressing his face against the wall. "Something to remember me by." he murmurs, pulling up the boy's sleeve. The knife descends onto the skin of his arm, and begins to cut - it's so sharp it doesn't hurt much, but the sight of the blood that begins to peek through the cut causes him to cry out. "Shhh." John murmurs, cutting a few neat lines into a pattern - the Glass Walker glyph. "There's more of me than you can ever try to fight, boy. If you see me, hear me, or think about me... think of this. I'm marking you for my people. The cuts he goes over, now, deepening them, then pulling the knife away and rubbing at the blood which begins to flow freely. "You're marked. One step wrong..." he leaves the warning in the air, then pulls him away from the wall, and propels the boy deeper into the alley. The Walker then turns his head to a wide-eyed Tonie. "Oh God..." the DJ mumbles, sweating profusely as John comes towards him. "{Watch the boy, while I mark this idiot.}"
"{That's not going to draw attention?}" Yi quips as she twirls her knife in hand. "{If Lai sees it, he'll know what it means.}" She thinks. "{Then again, it -is- good to mark territory.}" She watches rather impassively as John marks the DJ. The boy further down the alley gets a short glance at first. She remembers a threat of a gun, but figures John must know by now whether the boy has one or not.
The boy doesn't have a gun, but by the horrified look on his face as he stares at his bleeding arm, he wouldn't be using one if he did. He whimpers, with tears streaming down his face, but it's nothing to Tonie's shrieks. John raises a fist, and it smacks wetly into the DJ's face, silencing him momentarily as he continues his work. "Shut up." he adds. "Keep these hidden from Lai, and you'll probably live, next time you see him. You can at least tell him that Yi killed your man. Should be proof enough." the Ahroun growls. Tonie wails with the pain, before recieving another punch. He's quiet when John smooths over his arm, rubbing the blood into to help it clot, then rolling his sleeve back down. Gibbering uselessly, the DJ stares at John's fingers as he works - spotting the prosthetic. John stands, and looks at Yi. "{Let's go.}" he mutters. "You two tell your friends you won't be meeting up with them. Get yourselves to the hospital." That said, the Walker starts to stride out of the alley. "Remember this, you two. You owe me your lives. I expect gratitude, not treachery. The consequences will be unpleasant, if I'm disappointed."
Shwick. Yi slips the knife away, and turns immediately to go. She pauses though, and turns back around to look at Tonie. "You know... if there is one thing I can say about 'chinks'... it is that we -never- renegotiate." She then nods to John, and finds her way out of the alley into the parking lot. "Marked them... that's something I haven't seen done in a while." She glances back behind her at John. "{This is turning out to be such a track and hunt. Next stop, the docks.}" There's a short sigh in there. "{One step closer to home.}"
John shrugs as he leaves the alley. "Let's move." He bears a thoughtful expression, wiping the blade on the inside of his trenchcoat. "It's something I haven't done in a while. Only useful for when we /are/ dealing from a position of strength." He wrinkles his nose. "Instinctive. I hate revealing myself." he mutters. "That should keep word from spreading about our little chat tonight." He stops at the corner of one block. "I'm going to go for a walk about to lose them if they decide to tail me. Then to the safehouse. I'll have a look at a shipping manifest tomorrow, if you like. Then we can see if we can arrange a meeting with your friend Lai. Closer to home indeed." With that, the Walker flicks a hand into the air - a parting wave - and starts off down the side-street.
"{Take care, Icewalker,}" Yi says quietly as she takes off in the other direction, aiming to lose tracks through winding alleys downtown.